Reckoning Force Proves Just That at Kentucky Downs
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Photo: Coady Photography
Reckoning Force edges Deer District in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile at Kentucky Downs
Three stakes, topped by the $497,500 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile, brought the curtain down on the Kentucky Downs racing season Sept. 14.
Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, and Magnolia Racing Syndicate's Reckoning Force prevailed in the Juvenile Mile, the first of the three stakes, giving Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien his first win of 2022 in the U.S. O'Brien brought a small string of horses to the U.S. that raced at Saratoga Race Course this summer and later at Kentucky Downs.
The winner, a 2-year-old son of Air Force Blue , raced a mile on firm turf under Joel Rosario in 1:34.63. He paid $10.58 for a $2 win wager.
Deer District ran second, a neck behind, followed by favored Really Good in third.
"It was a big thrill, watching here from Keeneland," Galvin told track publicity in a telephone interview. "We were selling yearlings all day and found a few minutes to go watch it. It was very exciting. We bought into him, Marc and myself, after he ran in his maiden race in Ireland.
"Joseph obviously had the plan to come over to Saratoga and run him there, and we had the plan to come to Kentucky Downs after Saratoga. It was fantastic. Huge thrill."
O'Brien's crew headed back to Ireland. Reckoning Force will remain in the U.S. and join the barn of trainer Brendan Walsh, Galvin said.
Bred in Kentucky by Frankfort Park Farm, Reckoning Force is the third winner from as many foals out of the unraced Jazil mare Alasema. He is his dam's first stakes winner. The colt broke his maiden in Wednesday's race.
Magnolia Racing Syndicate purchased Reckoning Force for $30,000 from the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale from the breeder's consignment.
Video: Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. (BT)
Play Action Pass Scores in Gun Runner
A race later, Play Action Pass —owned by Bill Parcells' August Dawn Farm—ran away with the $400,000 Pepsi Gun Runner Stakes. The Robert Medina trainee defeated Fuerteventura by 1 3/4 lengths, with favored American Mayhem three-quarters of a length back in third. The Cairo Prince 3-year-old colt raced a mile in 1:34.27 under Jose Lezcano, paying $9.94 to win.
Play Action Pass, bred by Newtownanner Stud Farm, is now the third stakes winner out of the stakes-placed Muqtarib mare Light of a Star , the others being grade 2 winner Laura's Light and other being the stakes-winning, graded-placed Barry Lee . All seven of her foals to race are winners. Her two unraced offspring include a Constitution yearling colt and another Constitution colt foaled this year.
Play Action Pass was bought for $150,000 by his owner at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Selected Yearlings Showcase from the Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services consignment.
Video: Pepsi Gun Runner S. (BT)
Alms Nips Burning Ambition in One Dreamer
Godolphin's Alms, trained by Mike Stidham, wrapped up the stakes action by taking the $388,700 Pepsi One Dreamer Stakes by a nose over a stubborn Burning Ambition . Tightly Twisted ran third.
The City Zip 5-year-old mare was timed in 1:37.93 for a mile and 70 yards. She returned $7.44 as the favorite.
Alms is one of two stakes winners produced from the group 3-winning Empire Maker mare Charity Belle , who died this year. The other stakes winner is Hallie Belle (earnings of $210,464), who placed in graded company. The dam's youngest produce is a Gun Runner filly born this year.
Kentucky Downs reported record all-sources handle for the meet of more than $80.1 million. More than $12.8 million was bet on the closing-day card.